Investigating EEG Interbrain Synchrony: Methods to Gather Meaningful Evidence

Area of Science:

• Social Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neurophysiology

Background:

• Interbrain synchrony is hypothesized to enhance functional integration between multiple brains.
• Progress in this field is limited by a lack of clear definitions and robust methodologies.
• Existing research often lacks a cohesive theoretical framework for hypothesis-driven investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a formal definition of interbrain synchrony.
• To link theoretical frameworks supporting temporal alignment in brain activity.
• To introduce rigorous methods for unbiased empirical investigation of interbrain synchrony.

Main Methods:

• Extracting instantaneous phase data from Hilbert-transformed EEG time series.
• Designing experimental conditions to control for confounding factors (shared attention, cognitive/motor dependencies).
• Employing advanced data analysis strategies: circular statistics, permutation testing, sliding technique, mutual information, and simulation-based insights.

Main Results:

• The study proposes a falsifiable framework for investigating interbrain synchrony.
• Methodological recommendations are provided to minimize bias and enhance reliability.
• An example application in nuclear family cooperation is presented.

Conclusions:

• The proposed definition and methods enable rigorous, hypothesis-based research on interbrain synchrony.
• Consistent application of these methods will clarify the empirical support for interbrain synchrony.
• This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the social brain and neural mechanisms underlying social interactions.